


Confident

by hoywfiction



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Bromance, Choices, Choices Open Heart, Choices: Stories You Play - Freeform, F/M, M/M, Pining, Playchoices - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:14:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23562877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoywfiction/pseuds/hoywfiction
Summary: (Written for day 24 of the @choicesmarchchallenge on Tumblr. Prompt: Confident/Rollercoaster)Bryce Lahela was nothing if not confident......and nothing was exactly what he felt like that night at Donahue’s. A miserable, confused, self-conscious heap of nothing.
Relationships: Bryce Lahela/Main Character (Open Heart)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	Confident

It meant nothing. It was supposed to mean nothing, anyway. It should have. And by that train of logic the awestruck looks at Dr. Ramsey, the casual flirtations with Rafael, and the back and forth with Jackie meant nothing too. So... why was Bryce jealous?

“Lahela!” He snapped his head away from the doctor occupying his thoughts and met the fiery gaze of an attending from the doorway. “I said come with me. Unless you’d rather I find someone else?”

Bryce leapt to his feet with a start. “Coming, Dr. Tanaka.”

“Don’t expect me to beg you next time,” Dr. Tanaka snapped before spinning on his heel to lead the way. Bryce grimaced, sparing a final glance over his shoulder only to meet the pitying eyes of Dr. Jackie Varma. _That_ , now that was something he hated even more than the rollercoaster of emotions he’d been on for the past handful of months. He lifted his chin and flashed Jackie a bold smirk before hurrying after Dr. Tanaka. He was nothing if not confident...

...and nothing was exactly what he felt like that night at Donahue’s. A miserable, confused, self-conscious heap of nothing. Everyone was a few drinks in by now, even Ramsey was laughing at something the bartender had said. Out on the dance floor Sienna spun, a smile on her face, revealing Edenbrook’s most promising intern ever— at least in Bryce’s mind.

That’s where his eyes remained as he took a sip from his glass. Bryce was alone at a booth near the back corner of the bar where the lights were impossibly dimmer than the rest of the building. There was a time when Bryce had been the shining star of nights out but with his performance slipping as of late the other surgical interns had begun to hold him at arm’s length. In fact, they’d started frequenting another bar a couple of days ago and Bryce couldn’t say which one even if he wanted to... because they hadn’t told him.

Not that he cared. He’d come to Donahue’s alone every night of the week just for a chance to hear the specific laugh currently carrying across the room. Though it would seem he wouldn’t be alone this time, because a figure suddenly plopped down in the seat across from Bryce. He wiped the tortured look from his face as best he could and threw on an award-winning smile. “Hey, Raf!”

Rafael didn’t seem convinced. “That’s quite the 180 you just did there.”

Bryce’s gaze swept the room quickly to ensure nobody was looking at him before letting out a sigh and staring down at the table. “I can’t be that obvious,” he lamented. Rafael responded with a sympathetic grin and a shrug of his shoulders.

“I hate seeing you like this.” Rafael sat back, getting comfortable. “Talk to me?”

“We are talking,” Bryce chirped smugly. Unfortunately Rafael didn’t take the bait. Instead he leaned forward, his gentle chestnut eyes fixated on Bryce’s face.

“Humor me, Lahela. Penny for your thoughts,” he said. Bryce’s smirk faded but didn’t falter. How could he explain any of this when he wasn’t sure how he felt himself? Instead of answering Bryce stood from the booth, gesturing with a tip of his head for Rafael to come with him.

“I could use a refill,” he stated. Rafael shook his head but tailed Bryce over to the crowded bar counter all the same. Within minutes there were four dark-colored shots placed in front of them. Thank god for weekends, Bryce thought as he knocked the first one back without so much as wincing.

Rafael was gaping at him as he traded the empty shot for a new one. “You’re a doctor, you have to know depression drinking isn’t safe.”

Bryce tossed yet another dose of whiskey down his throat (potentially out of spite) and pointed a finger over the rim of the small glass at Rafael. He gulped down the liquor before speaking. “You, Rafael Aveiro, local daredevil, are gonna lecture _me_ on _safety_?”

“I’m not—“ Bryce managed to cut him off with a sly raise of his eyebrow. Rafael pursed his lips before nodding once and lifting a shot for himself. “You have a point.”

Bryce laughed, perhaps the first genuine one in days. “I usually do.”

“But so do I.” Rafael dumped the brown liquid into his mouth. His nose wrinkled as it went down. “Are you going to tell me what the problem is, or do I have to guess?”

Bryce could feel the buzz of the alcohol starting to set in. With a heavy exhale he pulled out one of the stools and sat down. “It’s just been a long week,” he muttered. He reached for the final shot but Rafael beat him to it, placing a hand protectively over the glass.

“Listen to me.” Bryce looked up at him with a pout that morphed slowly into shock when Rafael kept talking. “I like to think we’re friends, Bryce. At least we’re close enough that I notice the way you look at—“

“Shh!” Bryce’s eyes darted nervously across Donahue’s where the internal medicine interns were sitting. When he turned back to Rafael he was fixing him with the same face Jackie had earlier in the day. “Don’t look at me like that...”

“It’s hard not to,” Rafael frowned. “It’s like seeing a kicked puppy.”

“Well... that feels right,” Bryce said quietly. It was obvious that Rafael was already very aware of what was bothering him so there was really no point in deflecting any longer. Bryce’s shoulders slumped as he folded his arms against the counter top and Rafael placed a comforting hand on his back.

“Look. People like that, they don’t come around often.” Rafael removed his palm from the shot glass and gave Bryce a lopsided smile. “Don’t waste your chance.”

The words bounced through Bryce’s head while Rafael stepped away to a nearby table to retrieve his jacket. He shrugged it on before returning. Bryce had to blink himself out of a trance when he felt Rafael brush a knuckle beneath his chin, forcing him to look up. “Um... Raf?”

“Head up.” There was a glimmer in Rafael’s eyes as his hand fell to Bryce’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”

He followed Rafael’s eyes across the bar. The person he’d found himself so enamored with was already staring right back, face rested delicately on the back of one hand and eyelashes fluttering. Bryce felt a swell in his chest, pushing himself up to his feet and sauntering over to the booth. “Hey. Wanna dance?”

Though he wouldn’t show it his heart skipped a beat at the radiant smile he received in reply. “I would love to.”


End file.
